Tulbaghia plant named ‘Ashanti’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Tulbaghia  plant named ‘Ashanti’, characterized by its light pink-colored flowers, medium green-colored foliage, and moderately vigorous, upright-mounding growth habit, is disclosed.

Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed: Tulbaghia hybrid.

Variety denomination: ‘Ashanti’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofTulbaghia plant botanically known as Tulbaghia hybrid and hereinafterreferred to by the cultivar name ‘Ashanti’.

The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program inPretoria, South Africa during the summer of 1999. The objective of thebreeding program was the development of Tulbaghia cultivars that haveabundant flowers with attractive coloration and thinner foliage.

The new interspecific Tulbaghia cultivar is the result ofcross-pollination. The female (seed) parent of the new cultivar is aTulbaghia violacea breeding selection, not coded, not patented,characterized by its dark purple-colored flowers, medium green toblue-green colored foliage, and vigorous, upright-mounding growth habit.The male (pollen) parent of the new cultivar is a Tulbaghia cominsiibreeding selection, not coded, not patented, characterized by its lightpink-colored flowers, medium green to blue-green colored foliage, andmoderately vigorous, upright-mounding growth habit. The new cultivar wasdiscovered and selected as a single flowering plant within the progenyof the above stated cross-pollination during the summer of 2001 in acontrolled environment in Pretoria, South Africa.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by division since the summer of2002 in Pretoria, South Africa and Valley Center, Calif. hasdemonstrated that the new cultivar reproduces true to type with all ofthe characteristics, as herein described, firmly fixed and retainedthrough successive generations of such asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following characteristics of the new cultivar have been repeatedlyobserved and can be used to distinguish ‘Ashanti’ as a new and distinctcultivar of Tulbaghia plant:

-   -   1. Light pink-colored flowers;    -   2. Medium green-colored foliage; and    -   3. Moderately vigorous, upright-mounding growth habit.

Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the female parentprimarily in flower color, and growth vigor. Plants of the new cultivardiffer from plants of the male parent primarily in having a darkerperianth tube color and in not having a fragrant inflorescence. Inaddition, the new cultivar has thinner leaves than the female parent andbroader leaves than the male parent.

Of the many commercially available Tulbaghia cultivars, the most similarin comparison to the new cultivar is ‘Lilian’, not patented. However, incomparison, plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of ‘Lilian’ inat least the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new cultivar have a lighter flower color than        plants of ‘Lilian’; and    -   2. Plants of the new cultivar have a different corona color than        plants of ‘Lilian’.

Tulbaghia plant ‘Hinetul1’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 25,293 was not found tobe commercially available; however, based on plant patent data plants ofthe new cultivar differ from plants of ‘Hinetul1’ in at least thefollowing characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new cultivar have a flower color different from        plants of ‘Hinetul1’; and    -   2. Plants of the new cultivar have a leaf color different from        plants of ‘Hinetul1’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonablypossible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typicalflower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed description, which accurately describes the colors of‘Ashanti’. The plants were grown in one gallon containers for 10 monthsin a poly-greenhouse in Guadalupe, Calif.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the overall growth and flowering habitof ‘Ashanti’.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of an individual umbel of ‘Ashanti’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype mayvary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature,light intensity, and day length, without, however, any variance ingenotype.

The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is TheR.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England,2007 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significanceare used. The color values were determined in March 2015 under naturallight conditions in West Chicago, Ill.

The following descriptions and measurements describe plants produced bydivision of stock plants and grown in a poly-covered greenhouse withoutsupplemental heating or cooling. Temperatures for this period rangedfrom an average high of 75° F. (24° C.) to an average low of 52° F. (11°C.). The plants were grown in Guadalupe, Calif. in one gallon containersfor approximately 10 months utilizing a soilless growth medium.Measurements and numerical values represent averages of typical plants.

-   Botanical classification: Tulbaghia hybrid cultivar Ashanti.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—A Tulbaghia violacea breeding selection, not            coded, not patented.        -   Male parent.—A Tulbaghia cominsii breeding selection, not            coded, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—Divisions.        -   Root description.—Corm-like rhizome with thick roots white            to light brown in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Commercial crop time.—Approximately 52 to 60 weeks from a            division to finish in a one-gallon container.        -   Cold hardiness.—To USDA Zone 7.        -   Growth habit and general appearance.—Moderately vigorous,            upright-mounding, clumps of arching leaves and flowering            stalks.        -   Size.—Height from soil level to top of plant plane:            Approximately 46.0 cm. Height from soil level to top of            foliage: Approximately 28.0 cm. Width: Approximately 43.0            cm.        -   Branching habit.—No branching, basal rosettes of leaves.            Number of clumps per pot: Approximately 2. Number of            rosettes per clump: Approximately 9.-   Foliage description:    -   -   General description.—Quantity of leaves per rosette:            Approximately 8. Fragrance: Strong garlic-scented when            leaves bruised. Form: Simple. Arrangement: 2-ranked.        -   Leaves.—Aspect: Emerging leaves erect, then cascade. Shape:            Linear. Margin: Entire. Apex: Broadly acute. Base: Sessile,            sheathed. Venation pattern: Parallel. Length of mature leaf:            Approximately 28.0 cm. Width of mature leaf: Approximately            4.0 mm. Texture of upper and lower surfaces: Glabrous. Color            of upper surface of young and mature foliage: 137B with 144D            at base, venation indistinguishable. Color of lower surface            of young and mature foliage: 137B to 137C with 144D at base,            venation indistinguishable.-   Flowering description:    -   -   Flowering habit.—‘Ashanti’ is freely flowering under outdoor            growing conditions with substantially continuous blooming            from spring through autumn.        -   Lastingness of individual umbel on the plant.—Approximately            2 to 3 weeks.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   General description.—Type: Umbel, semi-spherical. Positioned            above foliage. Quantity of fully open umbels per plant:            Approximately 1. Quantity of developing umbels per plant:            Approximately: 3. Fragrance: None detected. Length or            height: Approximately 5.0 cm. Width: Approximately 6.5 cm.            Quantity of fully open flowers per inflorescence:            Approximately 8.        -   Scape.—Strength: Strong. Shape in cross-section: Round,            slightly flattened. Aspect: Erect to 45° angle. Length:            Approximately 45.0 cm. Diameter: Approximately 4.0 mm.            Texture: Glabrous, glaucous. Color: Closest to 146A with            144A.-   Flower description:    -   -   General description.—Type: Single, apetalous. Shape:            Salverform. Diameter: Approximately 3.0 cm. Depth:            Approximately 2.3 cm.        -   Bud.—Rate of opening: Generally takes 3 to 4 days for bud to            progress from first color to fully open flower.        -   Bud just before opening.—Shape: Obovate. Length:            Approximately 1.1 cm. Width: Approximately 3.0 mm. Texture:            Glabrous, glaucous. Color: N80D.        -   Tepals.—Quantity: 6 lobed in 2 slightly imbricate whorls.            Shape: Narrowly ovate. Appearance: Dull. Margin: Entire.            Apex: Acute. Base: Fused. Length of outer tepals:            Approximately 1.5 cm. Width of outer tepals: Approximately            5.0 mm. Length of inner tepals: Approximately 1.3 cm. Width            of inner tepals: Approximately 6.0 mm. Texture of upper and            lower surfaces: Glabrous. Color of upper surface when first            open: NN155D with an overlay and central stripe of N80D.            Color of lower surface when first open: NN155D with a heavy            overlay and central stripe of N80D. Color of upper surface            when fully open: NN155D with a faint overlay and central            stripe of N80D. Color of lower surface when fully open:            NN155D with an overlay and central stripe of N80D.        -   Corona.—Quantity: 3 distinct scales located opposite inner            lobes. Margin: Entire. Apex: Notched. Base: Fused. Length:            Approximately 4.0 mm. Width at base (widest point):            Approximately 2.0 mm. Texture of upper and lower surfaces:            Glabrous. Color of upper and lower surfaces: NN155D with a            heavy overlay of N80C.        -   Perianth tube.—Length: Approximately 1.3 cm. Width:            Approximately 3.0 mm. Texture: Glabrous. Color: N80D.        -   Pedicel.—Strength: Strong. Appearance: Subtended by small            membranous bract. Aspect: Acute angle to horizontal. Length:            Approximately 1.4 cm. Diameter: Less than 1.0 mm. Texture:            Glabrous, glaucous. Color: N137A spotted with 187B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Quantity: 6 per flower,            filaments adnate to perianth tube, anthers in 2 groups,            upper group top of anther positioned 1.0 mm from tube            opening and lower group top of anther positioned 4.0 mm from            tube opening. Anther shape: Oblong. Anther length:            Approximately 2.0 mm. Anther color: 2B. Pollen amount:            Abundant. Pollen color: 2A. Gynoecium: Pistil quantity: 1            per flower. Pistil length: Approximately 5.0 mm. Stigma            shape: Capitate, papillate. Stigma length: Approximately            1.0 mm. Stigma color: Colorless, translucent. Style length:            Approximately 1.0 mm. Style color: Colorless, opaque with a            faint tint of N80D. Ovary length: Approximately 3.0 mm.            Ovary color: 144B.-   Seed and fruit production: Neither seed nor fruit production has    been observed.-   Disease and pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests    common to Tulbaghia has not been observed.

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Tulbaghia plantnamed ‘Ashanti’, substantially as herein illustrated and described.